“No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness.” —Aristotle

Last week, I wrote a template for this site I wish I could redact or recant. For those fortunate enough to have missed it: Do not click on this link. I was wrong to discuss the “fiction” of H.P. Lovecraft or its impact on the Dark Tapestry in Pathfinder. Furthermore, the template, while serviceable for minions and sacrifices, is hardly representative of those who have found enlightenment by exposing themselves to the true horrors of the great beyond.

Since the proverbial genie is out of the bottle, however, I will press on and try to describe to you those creatures that delve deeper into these horrors: those enlightened few who are brave and strong-minded enough to witness the truths of existence and neither be broken nor flinch. Join me after the jump as I attempt to redeem myself by exposing you to the effects of those that have become tapestry-enlightened creatures. Perhaps after this, the voices that have tormented me all week and have prevented even a measure of rest will cease and I may know a measure of peace once more.

Tapestry-enlightened is a (CR +3) template available to any creature with an Intelligence score of at least 12 that is not good-aligned. Tapestry-enlightened is an acquired template that bolsters what shall be referred to as the base creature. The template is gained by a lengthy ritual involving no fewer than three initiates and at least one master that has already acquired the template and has no fewer than 8 ranks in Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (planes).

CR: Same as the base creature +3.

Alignment: Changes to chaotic.

Type: The base creature’s type changes to outsider. It gains the augmented subtype. Do not recalculate BAB, saves, or skill ranks.

Size: A tapestry-enlightened creature is treated as a creature the same size as the base creature.

Senses: As the base creature, plus darkvision 60 ft. and blindsight 30 ft.

AC: A tapestry-enlightened creature gains a +4 luck bonus to armor.

Hit Dice: Change the base creature’s racial Hit Dice to d8s. All Hit Dice derived from class levels remain unchanged.

Defensive Abilities: A tapestry-enlightened creature retains all of the base creature’s defensive abilities and special qualities. It also gains the following additional defensive abilities.

Cloak of Black Tentacle (Su): The creature appears to be wearing a cloak of the deepest black that is, in fact, made from its own shadow. This grants a +4 bonus to Stealth in normal lighting and a +8 bonus in lighting that is dim or less.

For each Hit Die possessed by the base creature, a tentacle can also be summoned from the shadow to intercept melee or swat away missile attacks. There is no time limit for this effect, but each tentacle may act only once a round and cannot affect any weapon with a light damage descriptor or holy descriptor.

Life in the Dark (Su): A tapestry-enlightened creature gains fast healing 3 in dim lighting conditions; it has fast healing 6 while in the dark.

Spell Maw (Ex): Once per round, a tapestry-enlightened creature may attempt to eat the energies of a forming spell. The tapestry-enlightened creature gains a Will save against the spell. If successful, the spell energy is reformed into temporary hit points for the tapestry-enlightened creature at a rate of 1 hit point per spell level of the spell.

Special Attacks: A tapestry-enlightened creature retains all of the base creature’s special attacks. It also gains the following additional special attacks.

Dread Attention (Ex): A tapestry-enlightened creature points to the target, which suddenly feels the presence of something incredibly alien, powerful, and hungry. The target must make a Will save with a DC of 10 + the CR of the tapestry-enlightened creature or become frightened. If the target succeeds, it is merely shaken.

Crawling Darkness (Su): Every target within 30 ft. of the tapestry-enlightened creature must make a Fortitude save with a DC of 10 + the CR of the tapestry-enlightened creature or vomit a swarm as per vomit swarm, being sickened for a round. The swarms created by this serve the tapestry-enlightened creature and will attack their progenitors the next round.

Spell–Like Abilities: A tapestry-enlightened creature with an Intelligence or Charisma score of 8 or higher has spell-like abilities depending on its HD, as indicated on the table below. The abilities are cumulative. Caster level equals the creature’s HD, and the save DCs are Charisma-based.

Abilities: Int +4, Char +4, Con –2

Skills: Tapestry-enlightened creatures gain a +8 racial bonus to Perception, Intimidation, and all Knowledge checks.

Feats: Tapestry-enlightened creatures gain Dazzling Display and Iron Will as bonus feats.